Good Hope in Bucyrus has focused on “sharpening the axe” in creating and working on great marriage relationships keeping all our focus on being Christ-centered! Pastor Tanyce realized that with several weddings coming, there was a great opportunity to bring the couples together and nurture healthy relationships among the newlyweds. Gathering couples preparing for marriage, Pastor Tanyce gets creative in teaching lessons about conflict and communication. “Our first gathering met at the church for speed dating marriage advice. [The next month] we met at our own Bucyrus Copper Irons Axe Throwing! Our grant gives us the opportunity to connect local businesses and our ‘faith in marriage group’ gathering! We enjoyed Giononini’s delicious pizza, encouraged, discussed how important communication is as we laughed, aimed for the bullseye and prayed together…Thank you NWOS for planting great seeds in our communities!!”
An Imagining Renewal Microgrant made this unique course for young adults possible. And from the generosity received, couples were asked to be generous themselves: part of the funds given in the grant were designated for each couple to designate a charity they would like to give $100. “Giving is essential to marriage,” says Pastor Tanyce. “Giving to others is God’s love being shared the way God first loved us.” Couples worked together to make their first donations as a unit to organizations that were meaningful to them. Donations were made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Susan G. Komen Foundation, National Fallen Firefighters Fund, St. Jude Research, Hospital B.O.R.N. Epilepsy Foundation of Ohio, and the Salvation Army.